Charge pipes - paint vs powder coat?

DSG2003Mach1

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anyone have experience with painting charge pipes and how did it hold up? I think the main concern would be clamping the hell out of the couplers then when you have to take em off it peeling the paint up (I have to disconnect some to change spark plugs)

If I had em painted it would be an exact color match and they could do it while painting my other stuff. If I go powder I’ll have to find something close enough and pay more for them to order that color but if it’ll hold up that much better it might be worthwhile
 

MG0h3

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My biggest concern would be blowing couplers because the surface is glossy/slick. I'd suggest putting a small weld on the pipe for the clamp to sit behind. You won't have to clamp them so tight and maybe that would save the paint.

To the original question, a good paint job should hold up fine but powder will always last longer.
 

Brutal Metal

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If painting you want to lay a foundation of etching primer first. The top coat will adhere to it well, that's what I did to my intercooler.
 

DSG2003Mach1

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strange, never got my subscription notifications for this thread...

my pipes already have a raised ridge but when you're looking at 15+ psi its gotta be pretty tight. I think Ill just have them left bare about 1.5 tbolt clamp widths above that little ridge and see what happens.
 

Blown_By_You

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strange, never got my subscription notifications for this thread...

my pipes already have a raised ridge but when you're looking at 15+ psi its gotta be pretty tight. I think Ill just have them left bare about 1.5 tbolt clamp widths above that little ridge and see what happens.

That's what I'd do. Haven't coated or painted mine yet, but I'll just scribe where the couplings sit and leave them blasted just inside the scribe marks.
 

Cobra52898

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Had my DIY PP sand blasted then powder coated (tried paint but it didn’t hold up).
I used 3.5” steel tube. Brazed two 1/2” nipples cut from EMT (for IAC and PCV) just ahead of the short radius 90 deg elbow that turned and connects to the blower inlet. Connected everything together using 3.5” silicon hose and Breeze Constant Torque hose clamps.
It works great. Boost jumped up from 8.5 to 10.5psig with a Vortech S-Trim, stock pullies and A/W MaxCooler.
 

01yellercobra

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I had all my visible pipes powder coated. But I wasn't worried about matching as I was going for a more polished look. The coating never lifted when removing the couplers. Notagt had his painted, but I don't think he was running as much boost so pulling apart wasn't a concern.
 

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